Monthly Archives: April 2010

Apr 29 2010

You Might Work in PR If..

Thought it was time do a fun top 10 list that only PR pros could appreciate. Please submit any additions you may have in the comments section. Enjoy!

You might work in PR if..

10. You’ve pitched yourself instead of a client for a ProfNet/HARO inquiry

9. No one in your office actually has a degree in PR

8. One of the most exciting days of the year is when your subscription to Cision is renewed

7. When a blocked caller ID comes in, you cross your fingers that it’s the New York Times or Wall Street Journal calling

6. You make fun of the person who uses Twitter all of the time, but secretly wish you had as many followers as he/she has

5. Nobody in your family understands what you do exactly

4. You’ve told your boss that you are using Facebook for work purposes

3. Computer services is on speed dial

2. Part of your daily vocabularly includes phrases such as “at the end of the day” or “leverage” or “strategic”

1. You have daily nightmares about missing a call from Oprah

Apr 26 2010

Managing Client Expectations is Harder Than Ever Before

I was reading this article last week about what some companies look for when hiring a PR agency and it’s the same things publicists joke about from time to time. Whether it’s wanting to be on Oprah or expecting X amount of placements during the first week of business with the respective agency, it remains a difficult challenge to manage client expectations when they are spending money (some lots, others not so much – it’s irrelevant), especially in a down economy.

One of the things I often ask mentors and senior-level executives is how those expectation levels are set. What I’ve learned is that it’s not an exact science. Since every client is different, so is the way you handle this issue with them. Some clients have a great understanding of the PR and journalism industries, while others do not. As a result, it’s our job to educate them from the moment they sign-on to be a client. Just as the client is an expert in their field (consumer products, financial services, food & beverage, etc.), we’re the experts in our field and should not fear telling a client what they can realistically expect from a coverage standpoint. Whether they are happy or not with what they hear we really can’t control, but being transparent and honest with them is still the best option we have.

I realize that PR is more than just getting media opportunities and generating coverage in targeted outlets, but for most companies I think this is still their top priority. As such, we all need to do a better job of level setting from the beginning of the relationship in order to ensure we avoid the questions about when the next opportunity with Oprah is coming.

Apr 22 2010

Do’s and Don’ts for Students When Putting Together a Resume

For the past couple of years, I’ve been very much involved in giving advice to students. Whether it was speaking to them at a PRSA job conference, mentoring undergraduates at my alma mater (West Virginia University), or even answering their questions on social networks such as LinkedIn and Twitter, one of the most popular questions that I get asked is about how to craft a resume.

This topic is one of those things that never gets old, and as I continue to grow in my career and have the opportunity to meet candidates for various positions at a PR agency, I feel like I’m in a good position to help out an even wider audience – you all!

The following is a list of do’s and dont’s I recommend following when putting together a resume:

Do:

  • Put an objective at the top of the page. Tell me what you are looking for in a PR opportunity.
  • Include links to your social media pages and make sure you do not have any scandalous photos or information on them. An HR person is going to look you up no matter, so you might as well help them out and include the links.
  • Highlight if you have attended PR or social media workshops. Especially for the latter, if you are engaged in SM then you are ahead of the curve.
  • List your experience at the top. I want to know why you are ready for a full-time career or paid internship, and seeing that you have a background in this field is obviously key.
  • Add your educational background at the bottom of the resume. I don’t care if you went to Harvard or Hamburger University. You either have experience in the industry you are applying for, or you don’t. Earning a 4.0 in college is certainly a good sign, but it doesn’t mean you are ready to take over the world.

Don’t:

  • Include professional experience that has nothing to do with the industry you are interested in, i.e. I don’t necessarily need to know that you were a bartender at Coyote Ugly.
  • Use funky looking fonts and colors. This will just aggravate me.
  • Apply for a job at a company in which you haven’t done any research on. Much like I wouldn’t pitch a reporter whose background I didn’t know, I wouldn’t apply for a job just for the sake of doing so.
  • Anything negative. Whether it was a problem you had with a boss or your co-workers, you don’t want to show any weaknesses if you can help it.
  • Lie. This is pretty self-explanatory. If you still aren’t sure what I mean by this, see George O’Leary.
Apr 19 2010

Five Social Media Tips for Corporate Bloggers and Tweeters

Normally I like to write an intro paragraph on what that day’s post is going to be about, but this one is pretty self-explanatory. Here are some of my tips/thoughts for marketers that have, or are looking to have, a presence on social media networks:

1) Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was any social media community. If you invest and start your own blog, Twitter handle, etc. you are kidding yourself if you expect instant ROI. Be patient, give it time, and you’ll see the rewards in the long run.

2) How often should you blog/tweet? Whenever you have content that provides value to your readers. But more than anything, be consistent.

3) You don’t need to have a crisis communications meeting whenever you see a negative comment about your company. Respond to those comments with honest thoughts and never delete them from your page (if applicable). That person may not like your company, but they’ll respect you even more when they see that you didn’t  ignore their comment.

4) Gaining admirers on these networks is not rocket science. Engage with people and be transparent. That’s how you gain and maintain an audience.

5) Do not put someone in charge of your blog/Twitter handle, etc. that does not want to be there in the first place. You need someone that WANTS to be involved. Take it from me, writing a blog is hard work … but it’s a lot of fun if you enjoy it!

What else would you add to this list?

Apr 15 2010

What’s the ONE Thing You Enjoy Most About Your Job?


“City Slickers”

I have bad days just like anyone else. Sometimes I like coming to work, and other times not so much. But one thing I can’t ignore is the passion I have for PR. So no matter how challenging the job may be at times, I try to come to work each day excited about at least one thing I’m going to do that day. Not everything is ever going to work out perfectly, so if I narrow things down to just that one thing I can enjoy on a daily basis, then that could mean the difference between a good day and a bad one.   

For me, one thing that brings me daily happiness is working with my clients on social media initiatives. From providing counsel on Twitter to recommendations on blog strategy to thoughts on a YouTube campaign, I can’t get enough of it! Don’t get me wrong, this work is far from easy. In fact, I’d probably say it’s one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. I’m engaged on many social networks and whether I like it or not, I’m portrayed as someone that is knowledgeable on SM issues because of it. That’s a lot to live up to. But I welcome that challenge because I truly enjoy this type of work. I can’t tell you how many times I stay up late at night struggling to find an idea for my next blog entry, but once I finalize my article and hear how many people it helped out, words can’t describe what a great feeling that is, and that’s how I feel after helping my clients on SM initiatives.

So my question for you is, what’s the one thing you enjoy most about your job? What keeps you going when times are tough? Would love to hear your thoughts!